26 March 2009

The Cabinet: Commerce

Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke

Secretary Gary Locke

On March 26, 2009, former Washington Governor Gary Locke was sworn in as secretary of commerce. He was the first Chinese American to be elected governor of a state (Washington state). Prior to that, he served as a state legislator.

Locke’s grandfather came to the United States from China in the early 1900s.

The Department of Commerce, established 1903

Mission: Creates the conditions for economic growth and opportunity by promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, competitiveness and stewardship.

Staff: 39,000 employees

Duties: The department’s diverse responsibilities include promoting business and industry within the United States and facilitating international trade. It also conducts the U.S. Census, updates weather and atmospheric conditions through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), maintains economic statistics and houses the Patent and Trademark Office, which provides legal protection for intellectual property.

History: Originally created as the Department of Commerce and Labor in 1903, it became the Department of Commerce when a separate Labor Department was established in 1913. The department’s longest-serving secretary (7.5 years) was Herbert Hoover, a mining engineer who went on to be elected U.S. president.

International engagement: The International Trade Administration promotes trade and investment in compliance with international laws of commerce, and NOAA cooperates extensively with other national and international organizations on projects related to weather and climate.

Fun fact: The nation’s oldest public aquarium is housed in the basement of the department’s Herbert Hoover Building.

More Information: Department of Commerce

(This is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://www.america.gov)